Goods and Services Tax (GST) filing is a regular obligation for registered businesses. Whether you file monthly, quarterly or annually depends on your turnover and your country's rules. Accurate GST filing requires meticulous bookkeeping throughout the period - every transaction must have the correct GST treatment applied. Getting this right means you pay the correct amount and avoid penalties from your tax authority.
Verify all transactions are categorised with correct GST/HST codes
Reconcile all bank accounts for the GST period
Review GST collected on sales vs GST paid on purchases
Check for any exempt, zero-rated or special rate transactions
Generate the GST return report from your accounting software
Review for any adjustments (bad debts, private use percentages)
Lodge electronically with ATO
Pay any amount owing by the due date
Businesses in Australia operating under the GST + BAS system must meet these compliance requirements set by ATO:
Using the wrong GST rate for different categories of goods or services
Not claiming GST credits on eligible business purchases
Failing to adjust for private use of business assets
Including exempt supplies in the GST calculation
Not keeping proper tax invoices to support claims
Lodging the return but forgetting to make the payment
SortBooks connects to your Xero account and finds transactions sitting in catch-all accounts. AI suggests the right account and tax code, learning from your own past coding. You approve it and SortBooks updates Xero. Reconciled transactions are locked by Xero, so those stay in SortBooks with an Open in Xero link.
AI suggests a category and GST + BAS code for each transaction. You approve it before anything changes in Xero.
Growth and above get a quarterly GST/VAT estimate to check before you lodge with ATO.
Ask about your P&L, cash and who owes you, using live Xero data. Every dollar figure is checked against Xero.
This depends on your country and turnover. In Australia, most small businesses file quarterly. In New Zealand, you can choose 1, 2 or 6-monthly filing. In Singapore, quarterly filing is standard. In India, monthly GSTR-3B and GSTR-1 filings are required for most businesses.
Standard rates vary by country: Australia 10%, New Zealand 15%, Singapore 9%, Canada 5% GST (plus provincial HST/PST), India has multiple rates (5%, 12%, 18%, 28%). SortBooks automatically applies the correct rate for your jurisdiction.
It helps. SortBooks suggests the GST code for each transaction and writes it back to Xero once you approve. Growth and above get a quarterly GST estimate to check before you file. The return itself is still prepared and filed from Xero.
AI suggests, you approve, SortBooks updates Xero. Try it free for 14 days.